Perfect Imperfection
by CeasedExistence
Summary: DISCONTINUED! A blessing can be a curse, and a curse can be a blessing. But can the damned be forgiven for the sins of others? And, more importantly... can the damned find love?
1. Chapter 1

Human life is such a fragile thing, they thought, gazing down at the gasping woman in front of her. So easily gained, and yet, almost impossible to hold onto. The breathing of the woman began to slow, and her eyes obtained a glassy quality, signifying that she wouldnt last much longer. The watcher sighed and knelt by the woman's side, holding her hands above the bleeding wound in the woman's abdomen.As the kneeling figure closed their eyes, a soft, ethereal blue glow emmited from the palms of their hands.

To any silent onlooker, the scene presented would have been a strange one. A young woman, no more than 16 years of age lieing in a pool of her own blood, and a cloaked figure kneeling beside her. To the people of that village, the scene was not entierly uncommen. But to one from away, what happened next would have been considered nothing short of a miracle. Beneath the blowing hands of the cloaked figure, the wounds of the dieing woman began to slowly heal themselves. After a few moments,the breathing of the young ningen onna eventuallyevened and slowed. The now perfectly healthy girl was sleepng, and her wound was gone as though it had never been.

A hidden observer let the branches of the bush he had been hiding in swish together behind him, concealing all trace that he had been there, as he crept on silent feet towards a out of the way clearing nearby.

'Boss?' he called quietly, into the seemingly empty clearing.

'Yesssss...' The voice could have been the wind, swirling around the clearing and the man within it.

'It's her. The girl, the Forbiddon One... She's back.' The man was so excited that he nearly forgot to keep his voice down.

'Exccccellent..' The rasping voice sighed. Then, a pause. "by the way... about your payment.'

'Yes?' The man fidigted, anxious now to get out of the clearing and make tracks back to his village.

A flash of white zoomed by and cut the man down.

'You should have known better than to trust me.' The voice muttered, still hard to distinguish from the rustle of the trees.

As the man took a last, gurgling breath, an albino baboon pelt faded into the shelter of the forest.

'At last I have found you... Khyber.'


	2. Chapter 2

'Lady Khyber, Lady Khyber!' A little girl, no more that nine, splashed across the shallow brook that meandered its lazy way across the meadow of flowers.

'Yes Tetsumi?' the reply came from a girl with thick blue hair with pink streaks through it, wearing a cloak as black as night with the hood down.

'Milady, I found a really strange flower! Can you tell me what it is?' The child beamed up at her, dimples marking ehr sweet face.

'Im not sure. How about you show me and then I might know what it is.' The cloaked girl suggested, charmed, as always, by the younger one's innocence.

'Kay!' Tetsumi grabbed her hand and pulled the older girl across the brook to a shaded spot in which a single bloodred flower grew.

Khyber's eyes widened as though in shockas she gazed at the crimson bloom.

'Well, I never thought I'd get to see one of these again,' She muttered, before glancing at Tetsumi. 'You didnt touch it, did you?'

'No mi'lady. You told me never to touch something unless I know what it is,' Curiosity finally overcame the child, and she blurted out, 'What is it mi'lady?'

'It's a very rare flower called the Crimson Wish. Legend has it that a young woman from a village fell in love with the lord of a great castle. But, he married another, and her heart broke. Knowing that he truley loved his new wife, she made a wish to Kami-sama that he would be happy in his new life and have many children. Kami-sama granted her wish, but at a price. For at the very instant the wish was made, her broken heart stopped beating, and she transformed into a flower; the Crimson Wish. Now her soul watches over his desendants always.' Khyber told the story in a soft voice, a small smile gracing her features.

Tetsumi sighed happily, she loved a good story. 'That was so sad, but so beautiful too. Was the village girl happy that the lord was happy?'

Khyber, still kneeling by the flower, said 'Aye, she was happy because her lord had a good life and many children. But each year on the night of her death, you can hear her crying by the flower that is the reminder of her love for the young lord.

Tetsumi stood with a solemnity that was rare in one so young. She thought for a moment, then said 'I'll leave it here then, instead of picking it.' before running of to make daisy chains by the stream.

As soon as the younger girl was out of sight, Khyber allowed the happy facade to drop, revealing a face full of heartbreak and pain. It aged her, and as she reached out to touch the flower, she sighed and turned away, allowing the hand to drop to her side. Pasting a bright smile on her face, she called out to Tetsumi, 'Hey, wait for me!' and ran after the girl-child, smiling all the way.


	3. Chapter 3

PERFECT IMPERFECTION

'Inuyasha, we've been walking all day without any breaks! You might be able to keep this up, but we can't. Even Kirara is tired!' A petit girl with raven black hair exclaimed.

'Feh.' the silver haired hanyou replied. 'It's not my fault humans are so weak.'

The girl's eyes narrowed dangerously. Inuyasha, seeming to sense what was about to occur, whirled around wide eyed. 'No Kagome, don't, we can camp now-'

'Oswari.' The girl muttered in a monotone.

WHAM!

Too late…

Looking at the dogboy shaped crater, Kagome said, 'We camp here tonight.' And covered the ears of Shippo as Inuyasha started muttering curses into the ground.

Suddenly Inuyasha looked up and twitched his ears. 'What is it Inuyasha?' Sango asked, while assaulting Miroku with her Hiraktso (sp?). 'Damn perverted monk.' She muttered in disgust, while Miroku twitched on the ground.

'I smell blood, and someone's crying.' He replied, getting up from the crater and dusting himself off.

Kagome sighed and uncovered Shippo's ears. 'I guess we better go check it out. Which way is it coming from?'

Inuyasha pointed east. 'It doesn't seem far off, maybe 30 minutes walking.'

2 minutes later they arrived in a large clearing of flowers. Kagome got off Inuyasha's back and patted his head, saying 'good boy' while Shippo snickered from her shoulder.

'Hey, do you hear that?' inquired Sango, looking around.

'Sounds like someone is singing.' Miroku observed. They followed the sound to a brook that ran through the center of the clearing, where a beautiful cloaked girl was holding a crying child on her lap. The sound of her voice drifted airily across the moonlit clearing, muffling the sniffles of the younger girl.

_Maybe this is the calm before the storm_

_But who can really say?_

_But who can really say…_

She continued to sing, her voice rising and falling with the song until the crying of the child could no longer be heard.

_I wanna be with you_

_At the end of the world_

_And breathe my last breath in your arms…_

She smiled down at the sleeping child before laying her in the grass amongst the flowers and covering the girl with her cloak. What was hidden by the cloak now became visible, and the group saw that she was wearing a tight, black one sleeved shirt and crimson fighters pants. She had a sword strapped to either side of her waist, as well as several sai's, two more katana's strapped to her back, and a dagger in her boot. All in all, she looked ready for a war. Sango gasped as her eyes landed on a detail no one else had noticed yet, the two black feathered wings sprouting out of her back. 'A fallen angel…' Sango muttered in wonder, gaining the girl's attention.

The girl whipped around and saw them at the same time that they saw where the blood was coming from. Someone had struck her on the temple, and blood dripped freely from the wound. Even with the blood though, she was stunning. A breeze whipped past the group, and suddenly Miroku was kneeling in front of the beauty, holding her hands in his own. 'Miss, will you do me the honor of bearing my child?' The girl's surprised face hardened and she backhanded the monk.

'Baka hentai houshi.'

Sango looked at the winged girl and asked, 'What's your name?'

The girl looked up long enough to say 'Just call me Khyber' before going back to muttering profanity under her breath and kicking an unconscious monk in the head.


	4. Chapter 4

PERFECT IMPERFECTION 4

Firelight flickered and danced, casting strange shadows over the group. Khyber sat close to a now perfectly alert Tetsumi, protecting her as though she were her own child.

The silence was broken by Inuyasha. 'Oi, wench, how come she's the one crying' here he nodded at Tetsumi. 'if you're the one bleeding?'

Before Khyber could utter a sound, Tetsumi piped up. 'Milady healed me! I was crying 'cause I got hurt, but Lady Khyber healed me!'

Khyber shushed Tetsumi. 'Quiet now, child; the forest has ears.'

Tetsumi yawned. 'Besides' Khyber added. 'I think its time for you to go to bed.'

'Yes Lady Khyber.' The young child responded, walking over to a gnarled old oak tree and nestling herself in its mossy roots.

'She certainly is obedient.' Miroku observed, having woken up earlier. 'Why does she call you Lady?'

'I'm not sure' Khyber admitted. 'I've tried to get her to stop, but she is a very persistent child.'

'Why does she travel with you?' inquired Sango, glaring at a certain monk who was edging closer… closer….

WHAM!

'Eh… is he always like this?' Khyber questioned, shifting away from the grinning monk.

' You have _NO _idea.' Kagome and Sango said in unison, while Miroku sighed happily and said, 'It's worth the pain.' Khyber just shook her head in disbelief.

Sango looked at her. 'You didn't answer my question.'

Khyber looked startled. 'You mean, why does she travel with me?' Sango nodded. 'Well, Tetsumi was a miko-in-training. One day her mentor sent her out to gather herbs, but when she returned, the village had been destroyed. No one was spared, not even the children. Fearing whoever had done this would return, she fled into the forest, but became lost. I found her wandering around the eastern lands, and she's been with me ever since.'

Shippo grinned. 'Cool!' he yawned, using an expression he had adopted from Kagome. Then a thought occurred to him. 'Whatabout you?'

Kagome gasped. 'Shippo, that's rude!'

Khyber just looked at him sadly. 'Storm's rolling in.' she said at last. 'We should head for cover.'

After gathering their belongings and moving camp to a cave they had passed earlier, Khyber told them she was going for a walk.

'I thought you said it was going to rain.' Questioned Kagome, who was trying to start a fire. 'It is.' Khyber replied happily, walking off into the night.

ONE HOUR LATER

'I want to eat!' Inuyasha grumbled for the hundredth time.

'Well, we're waiting for Khyber, so get over it!' Kagome glared at him.

'Someone say my name?' Suddenly Khyber appeared, dragging a young buck into the cave and shaking water from her wings. 'I brought supper.'


	5. Chapter 5

PERFECT IMPERFECTION 5

The group sat around a fire while the storm raged on. Everyone spoke in hushed voices, so as to not wake the subject of their conversation.

'Did you notice how she avoided Shippo's question?' Kagome whispered.

'Yeah.' Sango agreed. 'And she seemed so sad too, when he asked.'

'Feh. Who cares?' grumbled Inuyasha loudly, causing Khyber to shift in her sleep.

'Shhhh, Inuyasha, you'll wake her up!' hissed Kagome furiously.

The three chatted among themselves for a bit more before their fourth companion decided to voice his opinion.

'It seems to me.' stated Miroku, resting his staff against his shoulder, 'That if she does not wish to answer our questions so soon, it is not something we need to know.'

'Feh.' muttered Inuyasha. 'I don't trust her. For all we know, she could be planning to kill us all in our sleep!'

'If it makes you feel better, I will sleep outside.' An amused voice sounded from the darkness. Seeing their faces she laughed, a beautiful tinkling sound, like silver bells. 'Don't look so surprised. I can't even remember the last time I was really, fully asleep.'

'But,' Inuyasha's mouth hung open.

'That will not be necessary.' Miroku interjected.

'Yes,' Kagome agreed. 'We trust you, even if Inuyasha doesn't.'

'Thank you.' Khyber sat by the fire. 'But I'm awake now. I'll take first watch, if you like.' She offered.

'Are you sure?' Kagome yawned, only now realizing how tired she was. When Khyber nodded, she gave in. 'Alright then.' She headed off to bed, followed by Sango and Miroku. Inuyasha stayed by the fire a moment, glaring at her across the flames.

'Feh.' He said at last. "I'm watching you, so don't try anything funny.' And with that, he followed the others.

Khyber just smiled and set about polishing one of her swords, staring into the dying flames.


	6. Chapter 6

The Great Susinko: Yes, you are still the only one reviewing, thank you for taking the time. It would appear that no one else could be bothered, lol. Oh well, as long as someone is reading this, I'll keep writing. (PS: Thanks for all the compliments)

Perfect Imperfection 6

'Mommy!' The scream woke everyone, including Inuyasha, who bolted upright and bellowed that he had _not _been sleeping.

'No! Mommy, please!' Tetsumi screamed shrilly and thrashed about in her sleep. 'Mommy, you're hurting them! Stop i-Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!'

Inuyasha winced and flattened his ears to his skull as Khyber came in holding some berries. At her entrance he growled, 'Don't just stand there! Do _something_!'

Khyber dropped the berries and rushed over to Tetsumi, placing the young girl's head in her lap and stroking it. 'There now,' she murmured calmingly. 'There now, it's ok. Mommy's gone now, and she won't ever come back. It's ok…' The child opened her tear-blurred eyes and squinted. 'Milady… can you sing the special song? Onegai?'

Khyber closed her eyes and began to hum softly. Then, almost imperceptibly, words appeared out of the tune.

_Dancing bears  
Painted wings  
Things I almost remember  
And a song someone sings  
Once upon a December_

_Someone holds me safe and warm  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory_

_Far away, long ago  
Glowing dim as an ember  
Things my heart  
Used to know  
Once upon a December_

Tetsumi closed her eyes and listened, a soft smile on her face.

_Someone holds me safe and warm  
Horses prance through a silver storm  
Figures dancing gracefully  
Across my memory_

_Far away, long ago  
Glowing dim as an ember  
Things my heart  
Used to know  
Things it yearns to remember_

_And a song  
Someone sings  
Once upon a December_

The last note dropped off slowly, lower, but no less beautiful. Tetsumi lay asleep in Khyber's lap, fresh tear tracks on her face.

As Khyber gathered the fallen berries and sat by the fire, Sango asked, 'What was that all about?'

Khyber grimaced as she began to crush the berries. 'The demon I mentioned earlier… the one that destroyed Tetsumi's village…'

'Yes?' Miroku prompted.

Khyber closed her eyes and replied, 'Was Tetsumi's mother.'


	7. Chapter 7

'Dear me…' Miroku murmured, wide eyed with shock.

Khyber sighed. 'Tetsumi's mother was of the snake dancers, those evil ones who have no loyalty for friend or kin. They are easily bought with money and sparkling objects, which they covet greatly and hide in stores buried deep beneath the earth. Tetsumi watched as her mother slaughtered the entire village.'  
'But... I thought you said you didn't know who did it,' Kagome prodded, wishing to know more about what had happened.

Finished mashing the berries, the black winged girl began adding herbs to the gooey mess. 'Tetsumi has completely forgotten the events of that terrible day, and I had no wish to remind her. She has only the memories I placed in her subconscious, and believes those to be the true events. I saw no need to inform her otherwise.'

'But how could she forget something like that?' Miroku mused. 'I would think such a horrible event would imprint itself upon her mind, not completely vanish.'

Khyber hesitated, and Sango's eyes widened in disbelief. 'You didn't…' she muttered staring at Khyber in horror. 'You didn't do the ceremony, did you?'

Khyber just bit her lip. Even Inuyasha looked shocked and disgusted (which was saying something). Kagome just looked confused. 'Uh… what ceremony are you guys talking about?' Miroku took the opportunity to explain.

'The blood letting ceremony is a ceremony that was used in the dark times, when youkai were constantly at war amongst themselves, and humans often caught in the crossfire. There was a raging slave trade back then, and the ceremony was used to put demon blood into humans so that they could serve their masters longer. This process turned them into hanyou… of sorts. They gained a lengthened lifespan, and some demonic markings; tails, and the like. But they were human in every other way: no increased strength, speed, etc. Anyway, the point is that after the Clash of Tribes, the ceremony was forbidden… on pain of death.'

Inuyasha sniffed the air. 'But the kid smells like a normal human. It's _your _scent I can't figure out.' He direct ed this last bit at Khyber, who ignored him and wrapped the berry&herb goo in a large leaf.

Sango narrowed her eyes. 'Unless you did it in reverse.' Khyber flinched. 'You did, didn't you? You took her demon blood, and made her a human girl. In doing so, you would have removed her memory of the event as well.'

Khyber stood. 'what I did was awful, but there was no other way. If there had been, believe me, I would have taken it. But it was the only way to save her from herself.'

'But,' Miroku pondered thoughtfully, 'that means you are part demon now as well as angel. And what about equivalent exchange? You would have to live with the memories you took, and relive them every night in your dreams.'

Khyber looked him squarely in the eyes. 'I don't sleep much.' With that she walked out of the cave, taking the leaf package and her cloak with her.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Well, we haven't heard from Naraku in awhile. Lets look in shall we?

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Naraku sat in front of Kanna's mirror, watching Khyber laugh along with the rest of the Inu-tachi. 'She seems to have made herself a few new allies,' he mused, gazing intently at the scene before him. 'But no matter. She will soon come to see that it is impossible for someone like her to make friends, and come running to me. The power she wields is impressive… I must have it. Perhaps some persuasion is in order… Kagura!'

Kagura stiffened outside the door as she heard her hated master call her name. Taking a deep breath, she slid open the extravagantly paneled wooden door. 'Yes, Master Naraku?' she asked smoothly, praying that her voice wouldn't falter, her guilt revealed.

'I need you to run an errand for me.'

As Kagura listened to Naraku's plan, her stomach clenched tighter and tighter. She couldn't see a way out of this one, not one that wouldn't end with her dead, anyway.

'Well, I must say, that's low even for you.' She smiled grimly. 'Well done.'

As she flew off to execute Naraku's latest scheme, the dark, miasma filled halls echoed with the sound of malicious laughter.

'Khyber… I shall have you in my grasp soon enough. And then… we shall see your true strength!'


	9. Chapter 9

PERFECT IMPERFECTION 9

A/N: I know I said I'd update once a week, but then I had 7 tests and 2 presentations in one week. The next chapter is written and just needs to be typed. I and working on making the chapters longer, the next one is 3 pages handwritten (and I write tiny) and should be up tomorrow or Saturday. Sorry this one is so short; I felt bad for not updating and wrote this in math class. Please review; it's my motivation to get chapters up quicker.

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'Monk, if that hand of yours moves any closer to my prosterior, I fear your supposedly possessed hand will never be possessed by anyone ever again, least of all you.'

Miroku froze and edged slowly away from Khyber, clutching his hand protectively.

'I thought so.'

The others watched this exchange with barely concealed amusement, not that Inuyasha and Shippo were trying very hard.

'Face it pervert, you can't sneak up on here.' Inuyasha grinned at Miroku, who was suspiciously close to Sango. He glared at Inuyasha and shot back, 'Neither can you,' before…

'**_Hentai!_**' Hiraktso was firmly planted in poor Miroku's face.

'Dear Sango, why must you torment me so?'

This question earned him another smack from Sango, who 'hmph'ed' angrily and began to polish Hiraktso, which she had retrieved from Miroku's face. Across the fire, Kagome was studying for a test, Tetsumi was staring sleepily into the fire, and Khyber was peacefully meditating.

Tetsumi yawned quietly and rubbed her eyes. At this, Khyber cracked one eye open and told her to go to bed.

'Yes, Milady.' She yawned again and crawled into Khyber's lap. Giving up any remaining hope of finishing her meditations tonight, she heaved a sigh and began to stroke her young ward's hair, quickly lulling the child into a deep sleep.

'Well well, isn't this just a heartwarming scene?' A cold voice echoed from beyond the ring of flickering firelight. 'Too bad I'm here to kill you.'

Kagura lunged from the cover of the trees, fan drawn and open.

Directly towards Khyber and Tetsumi.

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A/N: Review, pretty please!


	10. Chapter 10

PERFECT IMPERFECTION 10

'What the-!'

Khyber tossed Tetsumi across the fire, into the waiting arms of Miroku. Sango stood by his side, Hiraktso at the ready to protect the sleeping child and the rest of her friends. Khyber used the momentary distraction to flip out of the way of Kagura's dive attack and draw her scimitars, one in each hand.

Kagome jumped backwards, out of range (she hoped) while Inuyasha rushed past her with Tetsaiga drawn and fully transformed.

'Kagura,' He spat, 'What are _you _doing here?'

The demon avatar smirked and glanced at her now folded fan, admiring the way its polished black handle glinted in the dancing light of the group's campfire. 'I have come to deliver a message.' She responded calmly, a smirk on her pale face.

The groups waited a few moments in silence. 'Well?' Inuyasha demanded. 'Let's hear it!'

Kagura's smirk grew into a malicious grin. 'My my, we _are_ impatient, aren't we?' She taunted him. 'As a matter of fact, the message isn't for you, half-breed. It's for your new friend.' She gestured lazily towards Khyber with her fan.

Khyber stepped forward, scimitars still in hand. 'And what would Naraku want with me?' she asked, curious, but not letting her guard down.

Kagura scowled. 'How should I know? Naraku wanted you to have these.' She tossed a sealed scroll and what appeared to be a small package at Khyber's feet. 'Oh, and he say's he looks forward to meeting you face-to-face.' She added, before hopping onto her giant feather and disappearing into the night.

The group was silent, staring at Khyber in confusion. Shippo was the first to voice what was on all of their minds.

'What the heck was that all about?'

Khyber looked at him, eyes wide. 'I'm.. I'm not sure.' She walked over and picked up the scroll and box, bringing them over to the fire. 'Maybe these will give us some answers.' The group clustered around as she broke the wax seal and began to slowly unroll the thin parchment.

After checking that Tetsumi was still asleep (she didn't want the young girl to hear what might be in the message), she turned back to the letter and noticed how the ink glistened and had a thick, coppery smell about it. 'It's written in blood!' She wrinkled her nose in disgust, and began to read it aloud. 'Okay, let's see…'

_**My dearest Khyber, **_

_**It recently came to my attention that your young ward –Tetsumi, wasn't it?- was badly traumatized by her mother, who destroyed the child's village. I am aware that you wish to find this woman and put an end to her miserable existence, in the hopes that it will put an end to the girl's nightmares.**_

_**I found this to be a noble quest, and so have decided to help you.**_

_**You owe me, **_

_**Naraku**_

'"_You owe me_"?' Khyber muttered, her forehead creased in confusion. 'What could he possibly mean by that?' All head turned towards the mysterious package that had been delivered along with the bloody message.

'"_I decided to help you._"' She quoted, and her eyes widened. 'Oh, please no.'

She reached forward with trembling hands and drew the nondescript box towards her. With shaking fingers, she unwound the thin string holding it shut.

The box fell open and Khyber stifled a scream as she met the terrified, glassy gaze of a woman's head.

'Tetsumi's…' she choked. 'That's Tetsumi's mother.'

'Milady?' a small voice came from behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

PERFECT IMPERFECTION 11

'Milady?'

Khyber swallowed nervously. She quickly shut the box, hiding its macabre contents from sight. 'Yes, Tetsumi?'

'What's in the box?' The little girl asked, climbing into Khyber's lap and tilting her head cutely.

Khyber's eyes widened; Tetsumi hadn't seen! She couldn't tell the girl what was really in the plain looking package; it would only give her more nightmares. So, the winged girl decided to lie.

'Yesterday I noticed that some of my daggers were cracked and getting dull, so I'm wrapping them up so I can send them off to a friend of mine, who will fix them for me.' Tetsumi nodded wisely. 'Oh, okay. When are we dropping them off?'

'He lives very far away, so tomorrow morning I'm going to make a quick trip to a nearby village and hire a messenger to deliver them for me. I'll have to get up really early, so I'll probably be back before you even wake up.'

Tetsumi smiled up at her. 'Okay.' Then the child yawned widely and blinked. 'I'm sleepy. I'm going back to sleep, okay milady?'

'Sure,' she told the child with a small grin. Tetsumi went to the other side of the fire, rolled herself in a blanket, and promptly fell back to sleep.

Khyber heaved a sigh of relief, and noticed that the rest of the group was staring at her.

'_What?'_ She growled; it had been a long day and her patience was at its end.

'Did you really want to kill Tetsumi's mother?' Sango asked, eyes wide.

Khyber closed her eyes. 'Yes, I did. When I first found Tetsumi, I saw how tormented she was, and I foolishly wished that I could kill the horrible person who had caused a child to experience so much trauma and pain. But eventually, I came to realize that if I did kill her, nothing would change. The people of Tetsumi's village would still be dead. Tetsumi would still have those awful nightmares. And, because I would most likely die accomplishing this goal, Tetsumi would be left alone.'

She paused for a moment to look at the sleeping girl and smile softly. 'So, I decided to make sure she wasn't a threat, but not by killing her. I would simply bind the woman from doing harm to others, or herself, while allowing her to retain her abilities. It took me ages to figure out how.' She gestured towards the plain box with the woman's remains. 'Looks like _that _was a lot of time wasted.'

'Hang on,' Sango said. 'You mean you figured out how to stop demons from hurting people without killing _or_ sealing them?'

'Yeah, but it's not easy, and not everyone can do it because it takes a huge amount of spiritual energy.' She looked at Kagome. 'Come to think of it, you may be able to do it.'

'Really?' Kagome blinked. 'Do you think so? It would be a good thing to learn, it might help us in some of our battles.'

'I could show you,' Khyber offered. 'But not right away; we'd need to strengthen your reserves first, or else you could pass out from using up all of your energy.'

Kagome was fascinated by the prospect of becoming that strong. 'How do you do that?' she asked.

'Well, the easiest way is through meditation,' Khyber responded. 'Come over here; I'll show you.'

Kagome scooted around the fire until she was sitting next to Khyber. Then, following the winged girl's example, she sat cross-legged and braced her elbows against her thighs, lacing her fingers together and meeting her thumbs to form a triangle.

'Now close your eyes and picture yourself in a meadow. It's warm and sunny out; flowers are growing everywhere, and you can hear a stream nearby.' Khyber's voice became low and smooth, almost hypnotizing, as she lulled the young girl into a deep trance.

'Now it's getting dark. Do you want it to be dark, Kagome?'

'No, I don't.' The priestess answered in a monotone.

'Exactly. You don't want it to be dark, but you have no means of creating a fire. Think, Kagome. What else makes light?'

'My powers.' Kagome murmured.

'Good. Now, concentrate. Feel the blood in your veins, the electricity in your skin. Focus on that feeling; let it surround and immerse you. There is nothing but that feeling.'

To the amazement of the group, Kagome had begun to glow a light pink. White and lavender lightening was sparking into existence all over her arms and torso.

'Excellent, you've got it!' Khyber said as Kagome's eyes blinked open and the pink glow receded, the lightening sparking into nothing.

'I… I did it?' she questioned. The she grinned. 'I was tired before, but now I have tons of energy. I feel like I could run a marathon!'

Khyber chuckled. 'Yeah , this type of meditation has a nasty habit of doing that to you, which is why I usually do normal meditations before bed. We'll do this every morning, starting tomorrow, for about two weeks. That way you'll have an easier time waking up and traveling in the mornings too.'

Kagome grinned. 'That's awesome!' Then her face fell. 'But I should probably get back to studying for that test right now.'

Khyber looked startled. 'I can't believe I forgot to mention that part!' She turned to Kagome. 'With this type of meditation you also improve your ability to retain information.

Kagome looked blank. 'Eh… translation please?'

Khyber sighed. 'You learn faster and remember better.' She responded.

'Cool!'

After a bit more small talk, the group turned in for the night. Khyber decided she would dispose of the box tomorrow, before sleep claimed her too.


	12. Chapter 12

Perfect Imperfection 12

Khyber's eyes slowly opened and she immediately checked the position of the moon. She smiled. It was about one hour before sunrise and she was the first one up; perfect timing.

She silently got up and gathered the things she would need; her bag, some herbs that she had gathered the night before, and the box. Standing and checking that everyone was still asleep, she nodded to herself and quietly slipped away, into the shadows of the forest.

After walking for some time, she came across the spot she had chosen to lay Tetnumi's mother. It was a beautiful spot; there was a small waterfall that landed in a crystal blue pool, which was surrounded by an abundance of fragrant tropical flowers. The area was closely ringed by tall Sakura trees, which lent their delicate to the air.

Nodding in satisfaction, she laid her things to one side and rummaged through her bag, retrieving the small shovel she had brought. Collecting the box, she went over to the Sakura tree closest to the waterfall and began to dig, unaware of the figure watching her from the trees.

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The sun peeked over the horizon as Khyber gently put the last shovel full of dirt over the small grave. Taking the herbs she had collected and setting them to burn, she stood and heaved a deep sigh.

"Finished." She looked sadly at the improvised shrine. "No one should die unremembered. I may not have liked you, but I hope you find peace." Her eyes closed. "May you spend eternity surrounded by the beauty you so desperately sought throughout your life." And with that, she turned to leave.

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Only to find that she was not as alone as she had previously believed. Gold eyes met amethyst, and Sesshomaru asked coldly, "Why would you do that?"

She blinked. "Eh… do what, exactly?"

His eyes narrowed. "Why would you honour the memory of your enemy?"

Her eyes widened with understanding, and she looked away. "No one deserves to die alone. I couldn't save her in life although I tried. At least I managed to save her in death."

"Explain yourself." He hadn't blinked. That was sort of creepy.

Khyber shrugged." I didn't like her, but I certainly didn't hate her. She wasn't evil, just…lost. No one ever cared for her, so she didn't know how to care for others."

Sesshomaru was silent. Khyber turned to go.

"Wait"

She stopped, but did not turn back around.

"Yes?"

"You did a noble thing. This Sesshomaru is…impressed." He spoke slowly, as though he couldn't believe his own ears.

"I didn't do it to impress you, or anyone else." Now it was Khyber who spoke coldly. "I did it because it was the right thing to do." And this time she really did leave.

For a long time afterwards, Sesshomaru stood within the clearing, staring at the place where she had disappeared.

Finally he moved. As he left, one word was carried on the wind to where Khyber sat in meditation.

"Interesting…"


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry this one took so long, I had a whole bunch of versions and none of them seemed right… so I kept redoing it… I'm still not completely satisfied with this, but I said I'd keep to some kind of schedule, and I intend to do just that. I know it isn't quite up to par, so if you see something I can improve on please leave a review and let me know.

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Perfect Imperfection 13

'Mmmmmmm…' Kagome smiled and stretched widely. 'You were right, Khyber, that meditation stuff really does wake you up! I've never been so relaxed this early in the morning before!'

'Tell me about it.' Inuyasha grumbled from his position a few feet ahead. 'Setting yourself on fire and jumping off a cliff is a safer than trying to wake _you_ up.'

Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously. '_What was that?_'

Inuyasha _eeped _and flattened his ears. 'Um, nothing?'

'Sit, boy.'

Inuyasha slammed face-first into the dirt while the group separated in two and walked around him. He pulled himself up and winced; that _hurt_!

'So, Khyber, do you happen to know anything about the lands we are traveling towards?' Miroku asked curiously, ignoring the background noise of Inuyasha and Kagome bickering over… something.

'Actually, yes. I stayed in one of the villages once, long ago. It will be interesting to see if anything's changed.'

'Really?' Sango inquired, coming up alongside them. 'What was it like? I heard they have very different customs there, and I wouldn't want to accidentally insult anyone while we're there.'

'If you don't want to insult anyone, it's quite easy to avoid. Don't ask anyone about their lives before they came there. Don't ask personal questions.' She looked at Miroku. 'You would do well to keep your hands to yourself, monk.' She paused. 'And…'

'And?' Sango prompted.

'Well, Inuyasha isn't going to like this,' she said reluctantly. 'In these lands, women have a higher social standing than men. A _much_ higher social standing.'

'Really?' asked Miroku. 'How interesting; normally, the reverse is true. How is that?'

'Well, since women give birth and look after the family, on top of all the regular duties usually performed by men, they are considered stronger, both emotionally and physically. It isn't uncommon to find female warriors, whole clans of them, since the folk around here have found that women have a better temperament for battle and a higher pain threshold. They are the proverbial "source of life", and are highly honored.

'Why would Inuyasha have a problem with that?'

'Havent you noticed how your whole group is set up like a pack? And since Inuyasha is the strongest in a straightforward battle, that would make him the pack leader. As long as we stay in these lands, Inuyasha will have to surrender that position to a female, which goes against his demon nature.'

'Yeah,' Sango agreed. 'I can see why he wouldn't be very happy about that. I mean, he freaks out bad enough when Kouga comes to woo Kagome, but having to hand over his position as alpha and assume a subservient role? He'll be livid!'

'Yep, that he will. On the other hand, he'll quickly learn how to hold his tongue… or he might lose it, depends on who he pisses off.' Khyber replied. 'So, is there any village that we're heading for in particular? Or are we just going to roam around until we hear about some jewel shards?'

'I think it's Dolby village that we're going to first.' Sango replied, noting Khyber's wince at the name, but not saying anything. 'There have been rumors of several jewel shards coming out of that area for awhile now. Why?'

'Um…' Khyber bit her lower lip, looking distinctly uncomfortable. 'Well, let's put it this way; if that particular village is anything like I remember it, you'll soon find out.' She winced and rubbed her left arm, muttering, 'I just hope they don't try to set me on fire again…'

'What was that?' Sango asked, catching the last bit.

'Nothing!' Khyber replied quickly, before turning and noticing that Tetsumi was lagging several yards behind. 'Are you getting tired?'

Tetsumi looked up. 'No, milady. But… my head feels strange.' The young girl was very pale.

'What do you mean strange?' Khyber questioned, her brow furrowed in concern for her young ward. 'Strange how?'

'I don't know. It's like… when you're swimming, and you close your eyes, and you can't tell which way is up anymore.'

'You're probably just tired. After all, it wasn't exactly peaceful last night.' Khyber responded reasonably. 'Here, I'll carry you for awhile and you can rest, okay?'

The child nodded wearily and allowed Khyber to scoop her up and carry her bridal style. The girl curled up and rested her head against Khyber's chest; within moments, she was fast asleep.

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A/N: Don't forget to reveiw, and check out my other stories please!


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